Driver accused of nearly running over Plainville officer

PLAINVILLE - A Hartford man was charged Monday with speeding through a construction site last fall, nearly hitting a police officer.

Junior Jumpp, 27, is facing charges of assault on a police officer, first-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with an officer, reckless driving, traveling too fast for a construction zone and second-degree breach of peace.

According to the arrest warrant, a police officer, working a private-duty job at a construction site on New Britain Avenue, had to move out of the way when Jumpp allegedly sped through the site on Sept. 25 at 9:38 p.m., after having eluded Middletown police during a car chase.

The site was set up near the intersection of Journey Road. Eastbound traffic on New Britain Avenue was being diverted north on Journey Road, and southbound traffic on Journey Road was being sent west on New Britain Avenue.

The westbound lane on New Britain Avenue was temporarily closed.

The Plainville officer said he saw a vehicle approaching him in his peripheral vision and, when he looked over, saw the car traveling west in the eastbound lane. The officer immediately jumped out of the way, later saying he surely would have been hit if he hadn’t, the warrant said.

A witness told police he saw the car park nearby in an empty lot before a man abandoned it. The car was traced back to Jumpp, who was found nearby and detained until Middletown police could arrest him.

According to court documents, Middletown police charged Jumpp with engaging police in pursuit, interfering with an officer, third-degree criminal trespassing, reckless driving, operating under suspension, improper use of a marker, license plate or registration, disobeying the signal of an officer and failure to drive in the proper lane. That case is still pending.

Jumpp was arraigned on the Plainville charges Monday in Bristol Superior Court. His bail was set at $10,000 and the case was continued to March 8.

Justin Muszynski can be reached at 860-973-1809 or jmuszynski@bristolpress.com.